Motion - School Transport Appeals

Motion as voted upon

In October 2022 the Council unanimously supported my motion to allow for greater flexibility around free school transport where it could be provided at no additional cost to the council. Since then I have been fighting a number of individual cases for residents who already have siblings at the school of their choice and where, for geographical reasons, there are buses running in two directions. Officers have argued that if they are flexible in one place, they will have to be flexible elsewhere too (surely that is the point if the criteria of no additional cost can be met) and have turned down appeals. The splitting of families is causing huge anxiety for parents and children and will severely limit the pupils’ opportunities to take part in after school activities. If members can’t have some sort of influence on the council’s decision-making process what is the point of being here.



I therefore call on members to support a motion to recommend to cabinet that school transport appeals are dealt with by a small cross-party group of councillors, supported by an officer who can guide members around any potential additional costs or issues that might arise from their decision, and that this should apply to any outstanding appeals for 2023 admissions and allow for a re-hearing of any stage 2 appeals for this year which have already been turned down.